Printing equipment for guiding printing plates



June 30, 1953 w. 1'. GOLLWITZER 3,6

PRINTING EQUIPMENT FOR GUIDING PRINTING PLATES Original Filed Aug. 1,1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 30, 1953 w. 1'. GOLLWITZER 2,643,605 IPRINTING EQUIPMENT FOR GUIDING PRINTING PLATES Original Filed Aug. 1,1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 P 870 850 [a I ass 950 1 851 9/ ass A TTORNE Y8June 30, 1953 w. -r. GOLLWITZER 2,643,605

PRINTI NG EQUIPMENT FOR GUIDING PRINTING PLATES Original Filed Aug. 1,1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Walter 7.' Cioflaw'zf zr A TTORNE Y5 June30, 1953 w. 'r. GOLLWlTZER PRINTING EQUIPMENT FOR GUIDING PRINTINGPLATES Original Filed Aug. 1, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 r 5% m my fi uwm:1mm M mum FA \Nmm. w m m We M o a nun G 5w 8 m8 7. M lllll r v e r. I W55 WM R kw mmm Q UN w ig Z 4 TTORNE YS wmm wmm. 1 I km 9M l who m t Y MNrm MB 39 3 $3$$$$ $SS H U I r M W man Q5980 Q W 8:: com .20 y V J I |u"ki i I l 1 1 hhhhhhuhh w mm 0 o o A Patented June 30, 1953 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE PRINTING EQUIPMENT FOR GUIDING PRINTING PLATESWalter T. Gollwitzer, Euclid, Ohio, assignor to Addressograph-MultigraphCorporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Originalapplication August 1,-1946, Serial No. 687,724. Divided and thisapplication June 11, 1948, Serial No. 32,413

{Claims (Cl. 10157) This application is a division ofmy copendingapplication, Serial No. 687,724, filed August 1, 1946, now Patent Number2,576,596, patented November 27, 1951.

The present invention relates to printing equipment and moreparticularly to printing machines which are especially well adapted toutilize printing devices of the type disclosed in my copendingapplication, Serial No. 32,412, filed June 11, 1948, which is also adivision of my aforesaid copending application, Serial No. 687,724.

It has been customary in the past to pass printing devices throughembossing mechanism to provide printing characters thereon, and then toutilize such devices in printing machines through which the devices arepassed sequentially for printing such data as names and addresses of alist of customers, subscribers, and the like. A printing device, whichmay be simply a printing plate or a more complex unit involving otherelements in addition to the plate, is usually provided for eachcustomer, subscriber, etc. ,A supply of such devices is normallyprepared and retained for periodical reuse. Although such printingdevices and the mechanisms with which they are employed have gone intowide use and have been successful in accomplishing great savings in timeand economies invarious types of operations, they have neverthelessrequired a great deal of manual handling. Thus, in the past, it has beennecessary to take each printing plate and insert it manually into aholding device for passing it through an embossing machine or the like,to form printing characters thereon. After the printing characters havebeen formed, it has been customary to apply the plate manually to asupporting frame which may bear an identification card, control tabs,and other material. The complete printing device, usually comprising aframev and plate assembly, is then passed through printing mechanism,particular feeding devices being required for handling such printingdevices.

An object of my invention is to afford printing equipment which isadapted to utilize embossed printing plates without necessitating theuse of frames, the printing equipment being constituted and arranged tohold unmounted plates positively and accurately, and to feed them intooperating position in a reliable an exact manner.

An ancillary object is to enable plates of the character disclosed, inmy aforesaid copending application, Serial No; 32,412 to be fed directlythrough printing machines without assembling them with frames orcarriers.

Yet another object of my invention is to so correlate printing equipmentwith the improved printing plate disclosed in my aforesaid copendingapplication, Serial No. 32,412, that the advantages flowing from theimprovement in the plate itself may be fully realized in the operationof the printing equipment.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following de-.

scription and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawingswhich, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments of the presentinvention and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be thebest mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles. Otherembodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principlesmaybe used and structural changes may be made as desired by thoseskilled in the art without de v in Fig. 1, drawn to an enlarged scale,and taken substantially along the line 33 on Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are frag-mental rear face views similar to Fig. 2 andshowing modified forms ofa printingplate adapted to be used in machinesembodying the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a front view, similar to Fig. 1, of another form of plateadapted to chines of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a front 'elevational view of a printing machine embodying theprinciples of my invention;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional View taken through the printing plateguideway of the printing machine shown in Fig. 7;

' Figs. 9 and 10, respectively, are detail views taken substantially onthe lines 9-9 and iii-l6 of Fig. 8, the scale of Fig. 10 being enlarged;

Fig. 11 is a perspective detail view of the printing plate guideway andthe anvil upon which the be used in maprinting plates come to rest whenan impression is to be made therefrom in the printing machine shown inFig. 7;

Fig.12 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line l2|2 in Fig.7;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken substantially on the. line |3-I3 onFig. 12;

Fig. 14 is, a sectional view taken substantially on the line 14-44 onFig. 13; and

Figs. 15 and 1.6 are fragmentary sectional Views similar to Fig. 13butshowing certain of the parts in operative positions different from thosein which the parts are illustrated in Fig. 13.

The printing machine shown in Figs. 7 .to .16, inclusive, isparticularly suited for the use of unmounted printing plates of thecharacter shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inc1usive,-o'f the-drawings, theseplates being described in-greater detail in my aforesaid copendingapplication, Serial No. 32,412. Plates mounted on framesas shown, forexample the Figs. 4, 6 and -the afresaid'copending application, may ofcourse be used in various machines of the character, and in the manner,well known in the prior art.

However, in some cases, it is highly advantageous to be able touseunmounted plates-such as those shown in Fig. 1 'h'ereo'f,by feedingthem to and through printing position in a printing machine withoutmounting them "on frames or other backing members. 'For "certain typesof work the unmounted plates are adequate without control tabs, cards,and other associated "elements. When this is the case the advantages ofthe use of unmounted plates are obvious. They include elimination o'ftheassembly of plates-with frames, very material savings in storage space,ease of handling, and important economies to users when the purchase offrames is not necessary,

Accordingly, the machine shown in'the drawings while basically similarto machines described in my prior patents, No. 1,975,318,'issued October2 1934, and No. 1,992,661, issued February 26, 1935, is constructed andarranged to utilize plates which are unmounted and which are providedwithno special guiding or'holding means other than a groove G embodiedinthe plates,Figs."lto 6, inclusive.

The printing machine comprises afla'tsubstantially rectangular table top"850 supported on four legs or posts .851 suitably connected and bracedby horizontal frame members 852. The table :top 858 supports, on itslower surface, a casting or bracket 853 which depends therefrom 'tomount a number of operating elements including a main driveshaft 854 anda short jack shaft 855. The jack'shaft 855 is driven by an electricmotor 856 suitably supported on .frame members 852. A V- belt or thelike, 851, connects .a pulley .858 .on motor 858 with another pulley.859 on the jackshaift 855. The shaft 855 carries aspur gear 881 whichdrives a spur gear 862 on the main drive shaft 854.

The mainshaftBSA has secured thereto a'bevel gear 883 which drivesanother bevelgear 864secured to a short horizontal shaft 885 whichoperates a plate feeding mechanism to be described hereinafter. Theshaft 854 also bearsaneccentrio 866, Fig. 9, which operates platenmechanism substantially identical with that described in my aforesaidprior Patent No. 1,975,318.

Near the right end of the table 850 a magazine 818 is provided forprinting plates P which .are to be fed through the machine .to aposition beneath a platen mechanism 811. .The construction so fardescribed is substantially identical with that described in my priorPatent .No. 1,992,661 mentioned above, but the feederiis particularlydesigned and adapted for use with plates such as those shown in Figs.l'to 6, inclusive,'havcalcorner posts of which the front pair, not shownin but indicated in Fig. 7 may be adjust- :ably :mou'nte'd, togetherwith front wall 813, Fig. 12. Thus the magazine may be adjusted in widthto-accommodate plates? of various widths. The

rear side *Wallis fixed in accurate alignment with plate guiding andholding elements to be describedrhereinafter.

.Asibestshowhinffiigs. 8, 13 and 15, the magazine bottom consists of :afixed plate 881 secured to the table 858 in any suitable manner. At itsright end, as seen in Fig. 8, the top surface of plate 88l is cut awayto provide a plurality, for example three spaced grooves 882. Grooves882 receive a similar number of tongue elements-llll'vof aslidablefeedp1ate88-3 provided with depending ears 884 and mounted between apair-of guide elements 885 for rectilinear reciprocation.

The depending ears'8 84-are pivotally connected to ablock8'8li-adjustably'mounted on 'one-end of a link 886. The-other'end-oflink88'fi is-connected as by a screw or bolt 88'! to the upper end of anoscillating arm 8-88 pivotally supported at its lower end on a'stud 889whichprojects from'a 'depending lug 891 of the casting or bracket 853.

A crank arm B92 is secured to the front end -'of the shaft 865 andcarries a-roller 8 93 adapte'd' to be received in a longitudinal-slot8940f another oscillating arm "895. Thearm "895 is also -mounte'don thestudBBQ-directlybhind the arm 88-8and normally the two "are latchedtogether by a latch lever 896 mountedon-a pivot 891 'on thearm' 888which engages a latch element 898'onarm895. A spring899 'tends'to holdlever 89"6 inengagement withthe cooperating element 898.

"Means are provided for unlatc'hing the lever 896 from'element 89'8.'Thesemeans'areidentical' with those 'describedin my aforesaid PatentNo. 1,992,661 and comprise briefly an upstanding arm 91H carried"bylever 8916, a roller 9'02 carried by thefree end of a'l'ever'983pivoted on a stud-9M, a vertically movable 'rod ZEUS having a spring 986surrounding its -upper end and "bearing 'on lever 983, .and an arm notshown carried by a rock shaft 908 having another arm 989 'connectedby alink "91! to a .pedal lever 9'i2. Depression of pedal .912 is 'eifectiveunlatch lever 898 from latch element '898 as 'described'more 'fully insaid Patent No. "1,992,661. Normally, however, the parts are -latchedtogether and each rotation of shaft 885.causes a reciprocation of feed.plate883 and feeds a plate out of the magazine.

'Referring'to Figs. 1'2 to I6,it will be no'tedthat the rear side wall81*! of the'ma'gazine 810 is cut away to form an openingil'f'fi toaccommodate a portion of a post orstudfil 6 secured as bya screw 91'!.to thetable top. The top part of the post is tapered to provide aconical element 918 so that plates placed in the magazine will have anotch or 'a recess element engaged with the post, "to maintain 'them'inproper alignment. A notch or groove"?! 1 Sat thebottom ofpost 918permits'feeding out the lowermost plate'only. As mentioned above, platesmaybe -o'f'the serpentine edge type, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or theymaybe any of the types shown in Figs. 4, 5 or ".6. In any case, a notch or.recess in one Ilongitudina1 edge of the plate cooperates withpo's't 916to re'tainthe plates inaccurately aligned relation 319, the bottom plateonly being free to be fed out of the magazine when feed plate 883 isadvanced. The post 915 may be a roller, in which case the notch 919becomes a circumferential rabbet at the lower corner of such roller.

As shown in Figs. 12, 13, and 16, and as previously mentioned, the leftor advance end of the feed plate 883 has the tongues 883' which ride inthe notches or grooves 882 in the fixed plate 88!. With the feed platein the position shown in Figs. 12 and 13, a projecting lip element 92]on the upper part of each of the tongues 883 engages the trailing end ofthe bottom plate in moving to the position of Fig. 15. The feed plate883 thus passes under the next to bottom plate P as shown in Fig. 15.However, as movement continues to the position shown in Fig. 16, the

tongues 883 ride up the cam shaped left ends 882 of grooves 882 and thelip portions 92! rise above the bottom plate. Feeding movement iscontinued, however, by a shoulder element 922' on each tongue 883' belowthe lip 92!, andthe lip 92! thereafter rides between the bottom plateand the next higher plate, flexing the latter somewhat and serving tobreak up any adhesion between such next plate and plates aboveit. Thenafter the feeding plate 883 completes its feeding stroke and is laterwithdrawn to the right, the next plate drops into feeding position,clearing the post 9E6 at notch 919 and subsequently the cycle isrepeated.

As plates P are fed out of the magazine, they enter between guiding andholding means which retain control over them during their movement intoand out of printing position. Referring to Fig. 10, a grooved orchanneled member 93!, which may be integral with or separate from thetable 859 but has its upper surface substantially flush therewith, isshaped to receive a guide rail 932. The rail 932 comprises a rectangularbar the lower part of which fits firmly in a groove 933 in the channelmember 93!. The upper front edge of the rail 932 is rabbetted as shownat 939 and a thin plate or strip 935, preferably of a resilient metalsuch as spring steel is fastened to the rail 932 so as to project overthe rabbetted portion 934.

To the front vertical face of the rail 932 there is adjustably securedanother strip 936 preferably of resilient metal, for example springsteel. The upper edge is preferably of a complementary shape to engagein a groove G provided in the lower face of each of the plates P nearthe rear edge thereof, Fig. 12. The strip 939 is notched at a pluralityof points, as indicated at 931, and screws 538 are passed through thesenotches into the rail 932. The strip 936 may thus be adjusted verticallyso as to properly engage and hold plates P, in cooperation with theoverlying plate or strip 935. The frictional grip on the plate should besufficient to hold it securely and maintain it approximately in ahorizontal plane.

At its right end, as seen in Figs. '8, 12 and 13, the horizontal holdingstrip 935 is curved upwardly as at939 to provide a guide throat forreception of plates P from the feed magazine. Plates P may thus freelyenter between the hori zontal plate 935 and the V-edged vertical'plate935, but as they progress toward the left, the plate 935 forces themdown so that the groove G in each plate frictionally engages the sharp'upper edge of vertical plate 935. As the plates P are fed one afteranother, each succeeding plate advances those ahead by an amount equalto the in the magazine length of one plate. As shown in Fig. 8, theremay be, for example, four plates P between the magazine 810 and theprinting position under the platen 87L Each of these plates is quitefirmly held and accurately aligned by the holding elements 935 and 936,no other holding device being must be provided since the plate grippingelements 935 and 936 are obviously inadequate for holding the plate fora printing impression. Hence an anvil block 949 is provided in thechannel member 93!, directly below the platen mechanism. Since the freelongitudinal edges of plates held by the gripping elements 935 and 936may be disposed slightly below the table level the anvil member 949 isbeveled as at a l! at its right end Figs. 8 and 11, to guide the platesP onto its supporting surface.

When a plate P has reached printing position, where it is supportedunder the platen mechanism 8' by anvil block 949, a sheet or strip ofpaper and an inking ribbon, not shown, are disposed above the plate. Asthe platen descends the printing characters on the upper face of theplate P produce an impression on the lower surface of the sheet of paperor the like in a manner well known in the art.

The platen mechanism 81! eccentric866 on shaft 954 is operated by the inprecisely the same manner as described in my aforesaid Patent No.

1,975,318. The operating structure comprises eccentric strap 95 I, Fig.9, connected through link 952 to depending arm 953 of platen lever 959pivotally mounted at 955. A spring 956 tends tohold the platen in raisedposition. Safety mechanism, indicated generally at 960, is provided andis identical with that described in said Patent No. 1,975,318.

A pedal lever 91! is pivoted on a transverse frame member as 852 andconnected by a link 912 to a bail member 973 which controls a clutchmechanism 914 through a rod 915, Figs. 7 and 8. The construction andoperation of such control mechanism forms no part of my presentinvention, being described in detail in my a oresaid Patent No.1,992,661 I I From the above description it is believed that theconstruction and operationv of the printing mechanism will be clear.Groved plates are fed one by one from the magazine 87!} into thefrictional guiding structure 934, 935, 936, each plate advancing thosein front of it, to dispose such plates sequentially in printing positionover the anvil block 949 and beneath the platen 81!. After printing iseffected, the plates are pushed on to the left to a suitable receivingcompartment 980, Fig, 7, where they are preferably stacked for reuse inthe same order in which they are sequentially passed through themachine.

The advantages flowing from the plate construction illustrated in Figs.1 to 6 and described in detail in my aforesaid copending application,are thus utilized in the printing mechanism. Grooved plates may be fedand positively controlled by simple efi'ective guiding, control andholding elements at every stage of the various operations through whichsuch plates must be passed. The feeding mechanisms in the printingmachinery take advantage of its groovedstructure to maintain accuratealignment and register during movement to working position with apositive and effective holding by extremely simple mechanism duringvarious required mechanical operations. The means whereby a plate may besecurely held and controlled by engagement with a narrow longitudinalmarginal portion, leaving the major part of the plate free for printingand like operations, thus constitute an important feature of myinvention.

Hence, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embbdimentof my invention, it is to be understood that this is capable ofvariation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited tothe precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchchanges and alterations as fall within the purview ofthe followingclaims.

I claim:

1. In a printing machine through which a succession of printing plates,each having a longitudinally extending groove formed in one face thereofalong a line parallel'to and removed from one edge portion thereof, areadapted to be fed, said machine comprising in combination, a magazinefor receiving a supply of said plates, printing means to which saidplates are to be advanced one by one, guide and holding means defining apath of movement for said plates from the magazine to the printingmeans, said guide and holding means comprising a horizontally extendingchannel means in which the said one edge portion of each of said platesis adapted to ride while the plate is being advanced from the magazineto the printing means and also comprising a member presenting a verticaledge for engaging the groove in each of said plates, and feed means foradvancing the lowermost one of said plates from the bottom of saidmagazine accurately on to said guide and holding means.

2. In a printing machine through which a succession of printing plates,each having a longitudinally extending groove formed in one face thereofalong a line parallel to and removed-from one edge portion thereof, areadapted to be fed, said machine comprising in combination, a magazinefor receiving a supply of said plates, printing means to which saidplates are to be advanced one by one, guide and holding means defining apath of movement for said plates from the magazine to the printingmeans, said guide and hold ing means comprising flange means beneathwhich one edge portion of each of said printing plates may be positionedin facing relationship during advancement thereof from the magazine tothe printing means and also comprising a member presenting a verticaledge for engaging the groove in each of said plates, said member beingdisposed beneath said flange means and spaced apart therefrom a distanceslightly greater than the thicknesses of said plates whereby the saidone edge portion of each of said plates may be retained against andpositioned relative to said flange means while the plate is beingadvanced from the magazine to the printing means, and feed means foradvancing the lowermost one of said plates from the bottom of saidmagazine accurately on to said guide and holding means.

3. In a printing machine through which a succession of printing plates,each having a longitudinally extending groove formed in one face thereofalong a line parallel to and removed from one edge portion thereof, areadapted to be fed, said "machine comprising in combination, a magazine'for receiving a supply of said plates, printv ing means to which saidplates are to be advanced one by one, guide and holding means defining apath of movement for said plates from the magazine to the printingmeans, said guide and holding meansvcomprising a flange adapted tooverlie a portion of the face of each of said plates opposite to theface thereof in which said groove is disposed and also comprising meansfor engaging the groove in each of said plates, said last-named meansbeing disposed beneath said flange in parallel longitudinal alignmenttherewith andbeing spaced from said flange a distance affording apassageway in which the said one edge portion of each of said printingplates may ride and be retained while'the plate is being advanced fromthe magazine to the printing means, an anvil block having a beveled facefor engaging the leading edge of each of said printing plates toproperly position thesame relative to the printing means, said beveledface being positioned within said path at a point in advance of theprinting means, and feed means for advancing the lowermost one of saidplates from the bottom of said magazine accurately on to said guide andholding means.

l. In a printing machine through which a succession of printing plates,each having a longitudinally extending groove formed in one face thereofalong a line parallel to and spaced from one edge portion thereof, areadapted to be fed, said machine comprising in combination, a magazineadapted to receive a supply .of said plates, printing means to whichsaid plates are to be advanced one by'o'ne, guide and holding meansdefining a path of movement for said plates from the magazine to theprinting means, said guide and holding means being in the form of a pairof elements in parallel longitudinal alignment one with respect to theother, one of said elements being of a configuration to engage thegroove in each of said plates and the other of said elements being of aconfiguration to overlie a portion of the face of each of said platesopposite to the face thereof in which the said groove is disposed, saidelements being spaced apart from each other a distance slightly greaterthan the thicknesses of said plates to thereby define a longitudinalpassageway in which the said one edge of each of said plates may be heldagainst displacement while the plate is being advanced from the magazineto the printing means, and feed -means for feeding the lowermost one ofsaid plates from the bottom of the magazine accurately on to the guideand holding means.

5. In a printing machine through which a succession of printing plateseach having a notched edge adjacent the trailing edge are to beaccurately aligned relative to a guide and holding means defining a pathalong which said plates may be advanced through the machine, which meansinclude spaced apart channel-defining elements in parallel longitudinalalignment, one of which elements is of a configuration to engage a sideportion on one face of each of said plates-and the other of whichelements is of a configuration to engage a groove formed in the oppositeside portion on the other face whereby said :platesare retained inposition between said elements, a printing plate supply magazine at oneend of said path, printing means to which said plates are to be advancedone by one while retained in said guide and holding means, and means forfeeding the lowermost one of said printing plates from the bottom of themagazine atone end thereof in accurate position on to said guide andholding means, said last-named means comprising a member having aportion configured complementary to the said notch in each of saidprinting plates and being vertically disposed within said magazine at alocation corresponding to the notch in each of the plates, said portionof said member terminating short of the bottomlof said magazine adistance slightly thickness of one of said plates whereby the saidlowermost one of the plates alone is positionable at the bottom of saidmagazine free of engagement with the said configured portion, and aplate reciprocable at the other end of said magazine, said reciprocableplate being slidable along the bottom of said magazine in a direction toabut against the trailing edge of the said lowermost printing platepositionable therein free of said configured portion to feed the same onto the guide and holding means.

6. In a printing machine comprising a magazine for holding a supply ofplate-like articles each having a notch formed in one longitudinal edgeadjacent the trailing edge thereof, a receiving station to which saidarticles are to be advanced one by one, and a guideway along which saidarticles are to be fed one from one end of the magazine to the receivingstation, feed means for advancing the lowermost one of said articlespositionable at the bottom of the magazine from the said one end thereofaccurately in. position on to said guideway, said means comprising amember having a portion configured complementary to the notch in each ofthe articles and being vertically disposed within said magazine at alocation corresponding to the notch in each of the articles whereby saidarticles may be positioned in said magazine with the notches thereofengaged by the said complementary configured portion, said complementaryconfigured portion terminating short of the bottom of the magazine adistance slightly greater than the thickness of one of said articles butless than the combined thickness of two of said articles whereby thesaid lowermost one of the articles alone is positionable at the bottomof said'magazine free of engagement with the said configured portion,and a plate member reciprocable at the other end of said magazineadapted to slide along the bottom of the magazine in the direction ofthe trailing edge of the lowermost article positionable therein to feedsaid lowermost article on to the guideway.

7. In a printing machine comprising a magazine for holding a supply ofplate-like articles each having a notch reater than the in one endadjacent the trailing edge thereof, a receiving station to which saidarticles are to be advanced one by one, and a guideway along which saidarticles are to be fed one by one from one end of the magazine to thereceiving station, feed means for advancing the lowermost one of saidarticles positionable at the bottom of themagazine from the said one endthereof accurately in position on to said guideway, said meanscomprising a member having a portion configured complementary the notchin each of said articles and being vertically disposed within themagazine at a location corresponding to the notch in each of thearticles whereby said articles may be positioned in the magazine withthe notches thereof engaged by the said complementary configuredportion, said portion terminating short of the bottom of the magazine adistance slightly greater than the thickness of one of said articles butless than the combined thickness of two of said articles whereby thenotch in the said lowermost one of the articles alone is not engageablewith the said configured portion, a slot provided in one portion of thebottom of the magazine, said slot having a camrned end within saidmagazine and opening at the other end of said magazine, a platereciprocable at the said other end of the magazine and having a leadingend portion adapted to abut against that trailing edge of the saidlowermost one of the articles to feed said article from beneath the saidconfigured portion on to the guideway, said reciprocable plate beingslidable along a portion of the length of the bottom of the magazine andbeneath the said configured portion in the direction of the trailingedge of the said lowermost one of the articles to abut against the saidtrailing edge and advance said lowermost article on to the guideway.

WALTER T. GOLLWITZER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

